Rating: 
Summary: A simple Key
Review: The first chapter is what puts people off this classic. Here is a simple way to understand that chapter. By followong who is caring for Benji you will know when things are taking place. It becomes a very easy chapter to read once you get used to this.
Versh - 1900-ish when Benji is 3-5
T.P. 1905-1912 when Benji is 15-ish
Luster - Present when Benji is 33.
Each time italics are incorporated Benji is changing his train of thought.
I find this book moving and very rewarding.
Rating:
Summary: His best
Review: Being a lover of Southern literature, it was inevitable that I read the works of William Faulkner. Deciding to start with his most notable book, I picked up a copy of "The Sound and the Fury," hoping to be impressed by one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. I had not been prepared for the roller coaster ride of emotion, ranging from the cruelest thirsts for revenge to the deepest affections of the human heart.
The novel follows the tragic Compson family as their life and society crumble in the decades following the Civil War. It is told through the viewpoints of Benjy (a mentally retarded man), Quentin (a borderline psychotic), Jason (a man filled with rage and envy), and finallly through an omniscient point of view focusing on the Compson's servant Dilsey. Told in the stream-of-consciousness style popular at the time, the author is able to reveal to the reader the deepest thoughts and emotions of the characters. It is a sacrifice of clarity for art's sake.
Despite all the warnings that the style is difficult to understand, one should not shirk from reading this unique novel. Altough it is a classic, be prepared for certain flaws due to a few cliched incidents and a simple plot. "The Sound and the Fury" is not, as some self-appointed experts claim, the greatest novel ever written. Some people become excited with the different method of storytelling and imbellish the novel's actual worth.
Overall, the novel is a classic and should be treasured as a gem of literature, though it is not worthy of all the hype and praise most intellectuals offer it.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointingly Obtuse
Review: This was my third Faulkner read...following Sancuary and Light in August. I must say that I don't see why this book gets the praise it gets. The first quarter is told from the point of view of a retarded (mentally deficient?) brother in the family....and it is therefore completely unintelligible. The second quarter is from an almost equally mentally disturbed brother in the same family....and it is just barely understandable. The third part starts to explain some of what happened in the first two parts...along with furthering the story of the family's downfall. Actually the third part is pretty good....it might almost be worth it to skip to it and forget the first two....then go back and read them. Now that I think of it that would actually be the best thing to do. Read the last two sections first, then go back and read the first two sections. The fourth section completes the story from the point of view of the black servant. Now the tale is that Faulkner wanted to tell the story of a little girl with dirty underwear who climbed a tree to see inside her house. He tried it one way and it didn't work so he kept on trying. This book has been given high praise for it's use of the stream of consciousness type of writing. For my part I think it is just needlessly difficult....I guess some people like that sort of thing but as far as good writing I don't think it is. It's a literary gimick and just because you use it doesn't make you a great writer. Faulkner is great for so many other works but not this one. Read it at your own risk....and keep lots of cigarettes close at hand. As far as WF goes I plan to read the Snopes trilogy next.....and fully expect to enjoy it. And maybe one day i'll re-read the first two sections of fury....one day when i am old, feable, and really have nothing else to do.
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